Bauhaus icon Peter Murphy was wrestled to the ground by security on Wednesday night after a disastrous show in Stockholm.
He and former Bauhaus bandmate David J were playing at the Swedish city’s Nalen venue – the latest stop of their tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus – when the evening took an ugly twist and ended with the vocalist being held face-down on the pavement by security staff.
Swedish websites Gaffa and Aftonbladet report that the band took to the stage late and there were initially problems with the sound.
Murphy then began to complain that the crowd weren’t showing enough enthusiasm, kicked a light and then began throwing glass bottles into the crowd during Stigmata Martyr in an attempt to hit the mixing desk.
One person in the crowd was reportedly hit in the face by one of the flying bottles and was subsequently taken to hospital.
The concert was then called off by Murphy’s own technician, but the vocalist returned to the hall and began behaving “threateningly and aggressively” towards the staff, according to Nalen’s press officer Jennie Monie.
Murphy was then escorted from the building by venue security, but the disturbance continued outside.
Video footage posted by Aftonbladet shows Murphy remonstrating with someone, and shouting: “Fuck you, you fucking Swedish cunt.”
Then, when a security guard places their hand on his arm and tells him to calm down, Murphy can be seen throwing a punch and shouting: “Don’t fucking touch me!”
At this point, security bundle Murphy to the ground in a chokehold.
Venue staff decided not to involve the police and put Murphy in a taxi, although it is understood that police have received at least one complaint following the incident.
Murphy is now banned from the venue, with Monie adding: “The behaviour that he showed on and off stage is totally unacceptable. We are also very surprised that it happened.
“We got no indications that it would be a problematic booking. We are terrified and think it's extremely sad that he did this.”
Murphy’s next scheduled performance is tonight in Athens, Greece.
Peter Murphy hade en tuff kväll igår, först blev han skitsur för folk köpte öl när de spelade, sen la mixerbordet av i slutet av giget, därefter blev han utslängd från spelstället pic.twitter.com/xhMXIPbGdkDecember 13, 2018
